Arlington, Texas, Vicinity of Baldwin Junior High, 2019
"This is so risky, Luke!"
As if to mock them, two police cruisers with sirens blaring raced passed the van.
"I know," Luke replied, watching the cop cars vanish round a corner. "But what choice do we have? Leo's our Achilles' heel, Noah. He has been from the day we decided to take him with us."
As they parked up one mile from the school, Noah mused on how unfair their life was. He often wondered what their lives would have been like if Damian had never broken them free.
At the time, after tasting what separation felt like, running definitely seemed the more attractive option. If they'd stopped to think for just a moment, putting aside their terror; they may have realized that the very act of running only served to seal their guilt in the eyes of the world.
But as Noah's thoughts processed this, he knew that running was their only option. He was pretty certain neither of them would have survived passed one month in prison. A whispered word in the ear of the right prisoner; and they'd have felt what it was like to drown in their own blood.
In the beginning, Noah suffered night terrors dreaming of this scenario; Luke's lifeless corpse lying in a pool of blood. As time past and the heat subsided, the nightmares quelled somewhat. But the fear was always there in the back of his mind.
He'd sometimes catch Luke's eye; seeing that anxiety reflected back. He knew for certain that whatever he was feeling, Luke felt it, too.
Sometimes Noah failed to recognize the man staring back at him in the mirror. The whole situation, a conspiracy that decreed he and Luke were expendable, had seen Noah do things so incredibly counter-character, it made him physically sick sometimes.
But he knew that ultimately there was nothinghe wouldn't do to protect his family. Lie, steal, use people… kill…
Taking another person's life was the very last thing Noah ever wanted to do. And, by some grace, things had never come to that. But Noah knew, without a doubt, he was willing to go that far if he had to... if pushed.
Just as the people, who set us up, are willing to do anything to protect their dirty little secret.
"Noah… you with me, Bubby?"
Noah blinked and wondered how long Luke had been trying to get his attention. He nodded in response before checking his watch.
"I'm sure all those cop cars flying around are for us." Luke said, scanning the road.
"You can count on it!" Noah agreed. "They must know by now."
Luke's throat pulsed. "They'll be all over town."
Noah nodded. "We just have to hope they've yet to find out about Leo."
"What if they have?"
Noah weaved his fingers across Luke's face and through his hair. "Then I'll have to fight them, Baby. You were right before. They've taken everything else from us… I won't let them take Leo."
"It's crunch time, isn't it?" Luke asked, eyes welling up.
Noah hugged him; and they shared a long kiss that communicated everything.
…
High School Principle Norman Brite was exactly one year, four days and seven hours from retirement. It seemed wholly unfair that if not for changes in government policy, Norman already would be enjoying his retirement; perfecting his fishing hobby and putting his feet up.
But only one year before he was due to wave his teaching career goodbye with a fond farewell, somebody on Capitol Hill decided, in their infinite wisdom, that 67 was a much more realistic age at which to retire.
As a result, Norman was bitter, morose and thoroughly uninspired. He was eternally behind on his to-do list; late for most board meetings and refused to help staff supervise sporting events.
Why the hell should I?
And over the years, the kids had changed, too. With instant access to so many forms of media and technology, children were, as far as Norman was concerned, "too damn clever for their own good."
They thought they already knew everything there was to learn. So why bother with boring schooling; still using an archaic system that could do nothing for brains demanding constant stimuli and entertainment.
Norman was tired. Too tired to come up with solutions to the modern day problems facing the American Public School System. And definitely too tired to deal with his wide-eyed administration team, standing around him in a small circle in the school's main lobby.
Norman was still struggling to comprehend the phone conversation he'd just had with Arlington's police chief. The man he'd had sitting in his office only hours before was none other than Luke Snyder, an escaped convict wanted for mass murder back in Illinois.
Needing to share the information with somebody, Norman wasted no time informing his front office staff; preparing them for whatever might happen.
He wondered about the boy. Leo Sutherland's presence in the school had been nothing but a headache from the start. The very idea... gay parents in Texas! It was a disaster waiting to happen for sure. It wasn't that Norman didn't feel for the kid. It wasn't his fault he was stuck in such a shitty position. His parents' made their own choices.
Where did they get the boy?
He was just wondering whether either man was even the boy's biological parent, when the office door opened and he was staring into startlingly blue eyes he's only ever seen on one other person… Leo Sutherland. All doubts melted away.
The three school secretaries ceased their chatter and gasped; maneuvering behind him. The atmosphere turned thick.
Why me? Of all the schools, why mine?
Norman felt his face harden, as anger boiled at the audacity of this man strolling into Norman's school like he was just another parent. Strangely Norman didn't feel fear; only an odd sense of resolve. He drew on years of experience dealing with difficult, sometimes even violent students and/or their parents.
Something on Norman's face stilled the man before him. For a moment, Norman felt he had the upper hand. But then Mayer lifted his shirt allowing those in the room to catch a glimpse of a gun stowed in the band of his jeans.
One of the women squeaked and started crying.
"I'm here to pick up Leo Sutherland," Noah coolly said.
Nobody spoke for a while. Norman could feel the women watching him expectantly.
He cleared his throat. "Um… I'm afraid I cannot allow you to do that…"
The man smiled, showing sharp bicuspids. Norman was sure he saw a flash of admiration cross Mayer's dark features.
"That wasn't a request," Noah said softly. "I'm here for my son." When no one moved, he added a louder demand. "Now!"
Noah's hand found the gun handle, but he didn't draw it; simply rested his fingers there.
Norman understood the threat for what it was. But he had a sworn duty to protect the children in his care, even the back-chatting little shits. "Why don't you just leave your son and go? Why drag him down with you?"
Blue eyes glared cold at him, as though Noah was deciding whether or not to answer the question. "Don't you dare judge me, Brite! You don't have all the facts..."
"The fact is you're a murderer and he's better off without you."
That hurt. The brunette faltered slightly.
But it didn't last long. He straightened his tall frame. "I've never killed a single person in my life, Mr. Brite. But trust me now. I will do anything to leave here with my son. Anything!"
I believe you.
"Mrs. Lucas, I believe Leo should be in Biology right now," He calmly ordered. "Please contact the class and have him sent to the main office."
When there was no movement from behind him, he repeated, "Mrs. Lucas!"
"But…," somebody squeaked.
"Now!" he commanded.
A small shivering woman broke away from the group and reluctantly shuffled over to the counter. She stretched out her arm to grab the phone; eyes never once leaving the gunman standing near the door.
"Be very careful what you say," Noah warned and she nodded nervously.
…
There was no question about who would go into the school to collect Leo. No words were needed. Noah was just so much better at keeping his emotions in check than Luke.
Luke hated to admit it. But over the years, forced as they were into a difficult situation, as sweet and kind and loving as Noah was, Luke had come to recognize a darkness within him.
It was a glaring difference between the two of them. Raised by a military tyrant to behave like a soldier; Noah could kill if needed. Luke wasn't so sure about himself.
Come on guys! Where are you?
Fifteen minutes had passed since Noah left Luke in the van with the engine running, parked down a side road looking out over the school's two large athletic fields. Luke kept glancing over the expanse of grass, hoping to see two specks making their way toward him.
He shook his head, thinking about how quickly things could change. Only last week they'd been right here, watching Leo play ball just like any other family.
Now Luke realized just how comfortable they'd become.
Sutherland was supposed to be just a temporary alias. Every year Damian would send new identities to an untraceable post office box in Georgetown. They were under strict instruction to assume new names annually, but they never did.
Leo changed all that. Once they managed to register him as Leo Sutherland (not an easy feat in itself), how could they possibly change it again? Not only were children terrible liars, but there was simply no way they could put that kind of pressure on Leo.
So Leo Neely became Leo Sutherland permanently. They learned of his real name from the Amber Alert issued after they snatched him. Named after his mother's favorite movie star, at three years old it was the name the boy responded to. They had no choice but to risk keeping it.
Luke trembled as they considered what all this meant for Leo. To find out his whole existence was built on a foundation of sand. And the sand was sinking fast.
How will he ever forgive us?
They'd lied to him. They'd hadto. But they were supposed to be the two people he could trust and rely on the most.
Luke sat on his hands in an effort to stop his fingers from fidgeting.
They're taking too long!
In the far distance, he could see the main circular drive at the front of the school. He jumped so high with fright his head hit the roof of the van.
Parked in the drive were three police cruises with their lights flashing.